Get What You Need
by Bright645
Summary: AU/AH: Klaus hates distractions and his new neighbor, Caroline Forbes seems to be exactly that. Add her daughter into the mix and it turns out to be exactly what he needs. A series of one shots.
1. Part One

**A/N: Hi friends, I'm here with a one-shot feelings because i really need more caroline single mom fics so i wrote a drabble. I'll make a series out of it and expand on klaroline's relationship. This is for Jay and Alyssa for putting up with me and my demands. Love you guys. I hope y'all enjoy it.**

* * *

**Get What You Need**

**Part One**

The noise is loud and intrusive.

He's got one paintbrush in his mouth while another one is held midair above the canvas at the ready, when laughter spills into his apartment and breaks his concentration. It's bubbling and so carefree, the only kind that comes from an infant. It's followed by another, softer laugh that sounds older and more refined.

The smile that appears on his lips is foreign and is soon wiped away.

He stares back at his unfinished piece of work, the ringing of laughter finally dying down, and he begins to finish the commissioned piece. However, the moment he presses his fine tipped paintbrush to canvas, the laughing begins again and his hand veers right instead of left leaving a smudge of black paint.

At this point his ager spikes. He's spent months working on this piece, his inspiration coming and going as if on a whim and he was paid too much money to simply give up. No, he's Niklaus Mikaelson, popular modern artist that doesn't simply give up because his muse decides to take a vacation.

He's been having trouble with this piece for some time and had finally gotten somewhere on it within the past few days. He wasn't prone to breaks when he was on a work binge, hated breaking the mood he had set, and suddenly this child that couldn't stop laughing was causing him trouble.

The laughter continued and he was curious as to how the child was still alive. Was it breathing? There were no breaks, just continuous giggles that flowed together and seemingly getting louder.

Klaus quickly wiped his hands clean before pushing his chair back, anger and curiosity peaked.

The sight that greeted him the moment he opened his door was unexpected. A young woman with wild blonde hair was standing just off the elevator, close to the door just beside his own. The stroller was placed in front of her, a bouncing baby clapping softly and laughing.

The woman was digging through her purse, undoubtedly trying to find her keys, but her hair kept falling down and around her face. So she would shake her head, trying to right the fallen pieces, but when that didn't work she angrily removed one hand from her purse and pushed it away.

The child seemed to find the annoyance of her mother amusing, most likely from the mother's over exaggerated movements and the flying about of both her hair and the sleeves of her baggy sweater.

Klaus felt the anger slowly dissipate as he stepped out into the hall. He kept his distance, watching as his new neighbor struggled about and the child laughed uncontrollably. He tried studied the woman, noticed her curves and the blonde hair but couldn't see past the mangled curls she fought to get out of her view. The child was easier, being directly in his line of sight, and was a small chubby, little girl with a pink headband in her thin hair.

The woman growled at another failed attempt of skimming through her bag and looked up at the baby, "do you find this funny?"

The child only responded in laughter, causing Klaus' to chuckle himself. The woman turned around so fast he was sure she would hurt herself, but she leveled him with a glare so intense he felt himself retreat a step back towards his own door.

"May I help you?" She questioned, her voice a contrast between annoyed and surprised, unlike tone she had used seconds before.

He hardened immediately at the tone, not liking the way he was being spoken to. "Yes, actually you can. Would it be possible to keep the noise down? I'm trying to work on a very expensive project and the loud noise is very distracting."

"I'll do my best," she returned before digging into her bag. The child had quieted, her gaze turning from her mother up to him and he almost felt drawn to the little girl, her big eyes seemingly drawing him in. But the trance was broken when her mother pulled loose her keys which were tangled within a set of headphones.

He returned to his apartment, slightly happy with the silence and almost saddened that the child had disappeared along with her infectious laughter.

Klaus returned to his painting, sitting down on his previously vacated chair and studied his work. The dark theme suddenly wasn't appetizing and he found himself drawn towards the sketch pad sitting on his coffee table. He was feeling inspiration for something other than commissioned work.

* * *

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door. Klaus rose from the couch, placing his sketch book down on the coffee table in front of him, and went to open the door. The woman from earlier, his next door neighbor, was standing on the other side, baby on her hip.

"Hi," she said weakly, giving a little half wave. "I'm really sorry about earlier, I'm so used to the noise that sometimes I forget how loud she can be. I didn't mean to disturb you or your work."

He saw how sorry she was, her frown apparent and not quite fitting with the rest of her sunny appearance. Klaus shook his head and smiled unable to stay mad with his new neighbor, "It's fine, you managed to give me a much deserved break from work."

Caroline nodded, brightening up significantly. "Good, good, I'm glad."

The two stood there for an awkward filled moment, both staring at the other. Klaus raised his eyebrows in question, "is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh, yes! So I just moved in a few days ago and the internet guys still haven't come to set it up yet, I was wondering if I could borrow your computer? It's really important for work. See I sent in my designs earlier but there seems to be some confusion about materials or something? I just got this long text from my assistant saying that it's going be cotton not silk, and cotton would so not go with one of my designs-"

Klaus laughed, cutting off her speech, "You can use my computer."

"Oh thank God," she breathed out.

He nodded, stepping back. "On one condition." The woman raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue. "Your name."

Blonde hair flipped up around her face as she threw her head back and laughed, full and hearty. A little chuckle came from her side, the child looking up at her mother. She calmed and looked up at him, blue eyes sparkling. "Caroline Forbes."

"And the little one?"

"Hannah," she replied, looking down adoringly at the baby.

Klaus stepped back from the doorway, holding the door open for the two. "Welcome."

Caroline followed in behind him, nervous and chewing her bottom lip. "Wow, your apartment is beautiful," she noted, "And so well decorated."

He chuckled at the comment, following her gaze as she studied his living room and work space. "Thank you but I think all the credit goes to my sister."

"Well she did a good job and she has good taste," Caroline responded, her eyes sweeping across to the open kitchen and finally landing on his eyes.

"I'll let her know," he said, leading her farther into the apartment and down the hall. "You can use the computer in my office."

Caroline nodded, following after him as he maneuvered through the apartment and lead her into his office. She stared up at the walls of books that lined the far wall and then moved to the large wooden desk in the middle. "Wow, she murmured, her gaze on the intricate carvings of the desk.

Klaus shrugged it off. "The computer should be fired up, you're welcome to it for as long as you'd like."

He moved to exit the office but a hand shot out and clasped his forearm, halting him in his place. "Thank you so much, for this."

"It's not a problem," he said before exiting the room.

He heard her move around the room, the scraping of the chair being pulled out and the humming of the computer being brought back to life. It probably wasn't wise to leave her alone in a room of his things but what harm could she really do? It was a woman and a baby.

Klaus retreated back into the living room to where his current piece of work was sitting. He hadn't touched it in hours and was finding the dark colours suddenly offsetting and depressing. He carefully removed it from the easel and set it aside on a white cloth and propped it against the wall.

He grabbed a blank canvas and removed a few bright water colours from his supply and set them down on the desk beside him. He enjoyed painting in the living room, finding the floor to ceiling window off to the side gave off natural light and a beautiful view.

He sat down in front of the blank canvas, picking up a paintbrush and began to work, feeling a sudden influx of inspiration settling down. His hand moved on its own, light blue being stroked across the white. He quickly added in more colour, his hand moving across the page in broad strokes.

He was torn from his work when a loud crash came from his office, followed by a wail and crying. Caroline ran out quickly, bouncing Hannah and holding her close while rubbing her back. Her eyes were frantic, "I'm so sorry, Hannah just reached out and grabbed it while I wasn't paying attention."

Klaus slowly put down his paintbrush and rose from his chair. "What happened?"

He followed Caroline back into the office and she pointed down at the shards of glass behind the desk. "I'm so sorry, I can replace it, I have the money! She just likes to get her hands on everything and stick them in her mouth. I guess it was too big for her and slipped out of her hands. I should have been paying more attention-"

"Its fine, Caroline," he interrupted, unsure how long she could go on for. "It was only a paper weight my sister brought me back from her latest trip in Milan."

"Oh, god," she groaned.

Klaus laughed, he should have been mad but the look on her face and the regret she held with her rambling explanation, he could only find amusement. "It's fine, she honestly goes there every year for fashion week."

Caroline slowly nodded, still bouncing as Hannah slowly calmed down and was only snuffing. Her head rested against her mother's shoulder, her hand clinging to Caroline's shirt. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed and she drifted off to sleep. "I should go put her down, thank you so much for your hospitality and I'm sorry about the little figurine we broke."

Klaus smiled at the little girl who had fallen asleep, admiring the peacefulness of her expression. She was all chubby cheeks and pouting lips, simply adorable. "It's what neighbors are for, right?" He shrugged, leading them out towards the living room and front door.

"Right," she nodded, giving him a small smile. Her eyes averted to something over his shoulder, before flicking back to him. "Is that what you were working on earlier today?"

He looked back to the new piece, all bright colours and the opposite of his previous work, "No, it's something new I felt inspired to try."

Caroline chewed on her lip, her gaze studying his work. "It's really good."

"Thank you," he supplied, following as she moved herself to the front door and opened it.

"Again, thank you for the hospitality and I'm sorry about earlier both in the hall and your office. So if you ever need anything just holler, I owe you."

"Okay, Caroline," he chuckled, seeing the two out. Klaus stood just outside the door, watching as Caroline struggled to grab her key from her pocket, lightly jerking Hannah around but the little girl didn't move or even wake.

When she finally got her door unlocked, she gave him a wave and smile. He watched her stop halfway inside her door before peaking back out, "I never got your name."

She was right, he thought back and he never introduced himself. "My apologies, it's Niklaus Mikaelson."

"Niklaus," she murmered, echoing him.

He smiled, "just Klaus will do."

Caroline nodded once, "Klaus," testing the name out on her tongue. "I like it." She gave him a smile, "I guess I'll be seeing you around Klaus."

He chuckled quietly under his breath, "I guess so, Caroline."

She gave another quick wave before returning inside her apartment. He stepped back into his own, feeling lighter and possibly happier than he did the day before. He was sure the woman and child that just moved in next door was bound to shake up his life and Klaus didn't think he would have any problem with that.

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**A/N: So what'd you think? Want more? **


	2. Part Two

**A/N: I heard y'all wanted more? Here ya go! (thanks to jay and alyssa-you're the best.) This one's for Giulia. **

**Part Two**

All that could be heard through his apartment was the wailing cries of an infant.

The only problem with that was that Klaus didn't have a baby in his apartment, it happened to come from next door. He had just laid down, sank under the covers, extremely tired from a long day working on a fairly new commissioned piece. He was exhausted and looking forward to sleeping in after days spent awake and hard at work.

The moment his head hit the pillow, a loud cry came from the other side of the wall. Klaus rolled over, placing his pillow tight over his ears and tried to get some sleep.

It had been two weeks since Caroline moved in next door and Klaus only saw and talked to her a handful of times. It seemed she was always coming and going in a hurry, Hannah always in her stroller and sleeping away. He would see her entering the elevator as he was leaving and that left very little chance for small talk.

The noise for those few weeks had been relatively low; he had no complaints until now.

The thin walls between apartments did little to soften the cries. The poor baby sounded in pain and he briefly wondered what was going on in the apartment next door. Klaus just rolled back over, moving the pillow to cover both eyes and ears, hoping to drown out the noise.

After a while, it seemed that Caroline, his neighbor, was able to quiet the baby down. Klaus let out a quick smile, grateful that the child wasn't in discomfort any longer and got comfortable in bed to get to sleep.

* * *

The crying didn't stop. Klaus woke up three times in the past hour, each time believing Hannah fell asleep and was put to bed only to have her screaming and wailing half an hour later.

He didn't really know Caroline that well, other than the few words said in passing, but he got up and headed to her apartment anyway. Klaus didn't grow up around children, nor was he a huge fan of them, so he wasn't sure why he was offering his help but he thought that with Caroline being a single mother she could probably use a little assistance. He doesn't know how much help she has, never seeing anyone coming or going from her apartment.

Klaus threw on a sweater that hung on the back of his couch in the living room before leaving his apartment, locking it for good measure, and knocking on Caroline's door just a few feet away.

He could hear the crying continue and Caroline as well as she moved around the apartment, her words being lost among the noise. A few moments later the door swung open and revealed a disheveled Caroline and a red faced Hannah.

Caroline's hand rose, wiping her hair away from her face. "I am so sorry," she said, slightly bouncing up and down while trying to contain the screaming child in her arms. "She's just teething right now and won't stop crying."

"Its fine, I was just worried," he answered, awkwardly shifting his feet.

"Oh, god, you probably think I'm a horrible mother-" she started saying but was immediately cut off by Klaus.

"Not at all! Do you maybe need any help?" he questioned, looking up and meeting her startled expression.

Caroline stood back from the door, walking into the apartment. She hugged Hannah closely to her body, the baby's arms reaching out and swinging about. He closed the door behind him and watched as she bounced on the spot, her hand rubbing circles on the babies back. "She's been fussy all night."

"I know," Klaus muttered, walking further into the apartment.

Her head snapped up, "You could hear through the walls?"

He nodded slowly, "the nursery must be beside my bedroom."

"I am so sorry, Klaus! I literally don't know what to do, she's fussy and won't eat or sleep," Caroline groaned, her eyes beginning to well up in frustration. She wiped furiously at her eyes before the tears could fall, "I'm such a mess."

Klaus stepped forward, closing the distance between them and rubbed her back, feeling slightly sorry for the mother. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Caroline looked up and slowly smiled. "Can you just watch her for a second?"

Klaus' eyes widened in surprise and he was about to take a step back, his arms up when Hannah was quickly shoved into them. "Watch her?"

"I just really need to run to the store down the street and grab some more teething rings. I lost her last one today amongst the mess that is our apartment," she explained, waving around to the room that was filled with half empty boxes lying about. "They're the only kind that sooth her."

He tried to nod but was too busy watching as she ran wild in the apartment, grabbing at a sweater in a box to throw on and track pants that hung on an office chair in the corner of the living room. Hannah sat heavy in his hands, his own arms outstretched as he held her away from his body, while she continued to cry.

Caroline returned to him, her purse slung on her arm, and stared at him curiously. She reached out, slowly pushing Hannah into his chest, her moving one of his arms to hold under her bottom while the other hand was moved to her back. Klaus tensed at the new position.

"You have looked after a baby before right?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised.

He nodded stiffly, lying through his teeth. "Yup," Klaus gulped out.

"Okay,' Caroline drawled out, giving him one last glance before side stepping him. "I'll be five minutes."

"Hurry back," he joked, but meant it as serious.

She opened the door, pausing and looking back at the two, hesitant to leave. "I just feel guilty leaving her. I mean you're practically a stranger."

Klaus chuckled, "Go ahead, trust me. I'm not a serial killer. I promise."

Caroline laughed in response, nodding slightly. "Alright, I'll just be a few minutes and I'll run back."

The door shut quietly behind Caroline as she slipped out into the hall and onto her late night mission and he was left with a screaming baby.

Klaus stared down at Hannah, her eyes scrunched up and face red. He felt his heart constrict slightly because she was in pain and couldn't be comforted. He tried copying Caroline, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

Hannah only cried harder.

He rubbed her back, slowly getting comfortable, but the baby wiggled and stretched out trying to get out of his grasp. "Shh," he whispered, holding on tighter so she wouldn't fall from his grasp. "shh, sweetheart, it's okay."

He bounced and walked around the apartment, noting there wasn't much to take in aside from the boxes strewn about. He could only imagine the hardship of work, taking care of a child and trying to unpack on top of all of that.

Klaus wandered into the kitchen, studying the dark granite countertop and how the kitchen was clean and everything was neatly put away. The only thing out of place was the applesauce container and rubber spoon. He walked the few steps towards it, picking it up and inspecting the rubber end, finding it interesting and different.

Hannah turned towards his actions, tears continued to pour from her eyes. She reached out, her hand clasping around the spoon and put it into her mouth. Klaus went to pull it out right away, not wanting her to hurt herself nor get in trouble with Caroline, but Hannah only cried harder when he took it away.

Klaus just let her have it, finding she calmed down slightly and began to chew on the utensil; he guessed it was baby proofed. Her wails turned to whimpers, eyes and face red while she relaxed. The sweet sound of silence filled the apartment and Klaus could finally breathe again.

Once she had quieted, his heart rate returning to normal, he realized how comfortable he found himself while holding Hannah. He held her close to him, much like Caroline had, but found himself more relaxed than only moments ago. He was surprised at how quickly he became at ease around the little girl but he couldn't complain, there was something about her and he was under her spell.

It was the way she smiled up at him, her big brown eyes soft and trusting. She settled into his embrace, her hands gripping his shirt tight, her head resting on his chest just over his heart. She was warm and small, so delicate that he felt very protective over her.

Klaus moved back to the couch, the one piece of furniture Caroline managed to have set up in the living room and sat down. Hannah sat on his lap, happily biting and sucking on the spoon and staring up at him with big eyes.

His heart skidded and slammed against his chest, an odd sense of accomplishment washing over him. He smiled down at the baby, proud of himself for calming her down. He was just wondering how long it would last.

He couldn't help but study her while he was in close proximity, not able to get the chance before. She had light brown hair, so thin that it looked to only run down the middle of her head. She had long lashes over her light brown eyes and he was close enough to see green flecks in them. She had light freckles sweeping over her nose and big pouty lips.

Hannah was adorable and he couldn't stop staring and watching her every move. Her eyes slowly closed and she leaned forward, her head drooping and tucking into her neck. Klaus readjusted her in his arms so her body was pressed against his chest and her head rested on his shoulder. The spoon remained tight in her grasp so he just let her hold onto it for the time being.

A few seconds later, Caroline came rushing through the door and nearly fell after tripping over her feet. Klaus chuckled, watching as she righted herself and closed the door trying to act as if nothing happened.

"It's quiet in here," she announced, surprise in her voice.

Klaus chuckled lightly and nodded. "She just fell asleep."

"Oh, sorry." Caroline ducked her head in slight embarrassment and moved through the apartment and into the kitchen, setting her bag on the counter. "Guess I don't need those soothers anymore."

She closed the distance, walking over to the couch and sat down beside him and Hannah. "How did you manage to quiet her down?"

"A spoon," he replied, glancing down to the baby spoon that was held tightly in the baby's grasp.

Caroline laughed, "She loves chewing on those." She reached out, rubbing her back up and down, Hannah letting out a sigh under her touch. "I'll take her and put her back to bed."

Klaus stood, handing the baby over and watched as Caroline disappeared down the hall. He sunk down on the couch, exhaustion taking over. Caroline returned seconds later, flopping down beside him with her eyes squeeze tight.

"I'm so tired," she moaned, turning her head slightly to look up at him. "Thank you for your help tonight."

"It's not a problem, despite all the screaming and crying, it wasn't so bad."

"You just had her for five minutes, try twenty four hours," she reasoned.

Klaus frowned, forehead creasing. "Don't you have any help?"

Her attention turned to her hands that rested in her lap and played with the hem of her sweater. "Not really. I have a part time nanny for a few days a week, my mom lives in Virginia and I only have my friend Bonnie to help out but she's busy most of the time."

"What about Hannah's father?"

"He split, ran so fast when he found out about her I'm pretty sure he left a hole in the wall of my old place," she confided, shrugging slightly. "He didn't want a kid, said it would only slow him down."

Klaus stared, shock at her admission and the nonchalance she displayed at the abandonment. "That doesn't bother you?" He questioned.

"Nope," she smiled. "I get that little girl all to myself and even though it sucks she'll grow up without a dad, she'll have so much love from me she'll be smothered in it."

"You're remarkable," he blurted. When he realized he said that aloud he quickly closed his mouth and looked away.

Caroline reached across the couch, her hand softly placed over his. "Thank you."

"So how old is Hannah if she's teething?" he questioned, changing the subject quickly.

"Eight months, well eight months two weeks and three days," she replied, smiling at him. He liked that smile, the one that appeared whenever she talked about her little girl. He could really see that Hannah was her whole world.

"When does she start walking and talking?"

Caroline laughed, "You haven't been around babies much have you?"

Klaus chuckled, shaking his head. "Not since I was young and my siblings were only a few years younger than me."

"I could tell by the way you were holding Hannah earlier," she stated. He looked away, embarrassed but she powered through. "But you seemed really comfortable when I returned."

"She's a great baby."

"Only when she's not teething," she joked.

Klaus couldn't contain the small smile that graced his lips. He caught the time on the clock attached to the cable box, "I should get going." It was late and he had to be up the next morning for a meeting with the gallery that displayed his art work.

She quickly nodded and stood, "you're probably exhausted with us keeping you up all night."

"It wasn't a problem, and if you ever need help in the future let me know." He stood from his seat, muscles aching and tired from the long day and night.

"Okay," she replied, walking him to the door. "You know I owe you twice over now, don't you?"

"I'll put it on your tab," he joked before walking through the open door and into the hallway.

She reached out, her hand grabbing onto his arm before he walked away. "Thank you for tonight, and if she wakes up again I'll try to move away from your bedroom."

"Thank you, and have a good night, Caroline." He said softly, sincerity in his voice.

"You too," she replied before letting go and watching as he walked the few feet to his own door.

When Klaus entered his apartment, door closed behind him, and maneuvered his way into his bedroom he sighed and fell onto his bed. He was exhausted but the little time spent with Caroline and Hannah almost seemed worth it, especially when he got a small glimpse into her life.

He couldn't help the smile. His thoughts moved to the woman and child next door. There was something about that family, something that made him want to get to know the two and spend more time around them. He should have been more annoyed about the disturbance and lack of sleep but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

* * *

**A/N: So what did you think? More klaroline? More Klaus and Hannah? Let me know what you want to read next, your wish is my command. **


	3. Part Three

**A/N: Time for another weekly update! Hope this is a good picker-uper for those returning to school this week. Thank you guys for reviewing/favouriting/following/reading. Thanks Jay for beta-ing. And thanks to JessNicole for the name Klannah (klaus+hannah), this one's for you. **

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**Part Three**

They became friends, or something more than acquaintances.

Klaus saw Caroline a handful more times, each one getting to know more about her and Hannah. It turns out the little girl liked her stuffed lion and when it was not around, she cried until her mother gave in and went to get it. He knew because he was trapped on the elevator with the two and when they reached the bottom floor Caroline regrettably had to go back up and grab the stuffed toy.

He learned that Caroline was an interior designer. She owned her own business which she ran from home. When she's on location or with a client, by the nanny, who he's met a few times, took care of Hannah. She was an older woman and reminded him of his own grandmother in the way she cared for the baby.

The more he got to know his two neighbors the more he grew to appreciate and enjoy their company. It turned out that Hannah wasn't a huge fan of strangers, but had no aversion to Klaus. The little girl grew accustomed to him and began to reach out for him whenever he passed Caroline in the halls. That often led to having them stop and chat for a few minutes.

He was waited for the elevator door to close, needing a break from work and some fresh air. Just as the doors began to close, a familiar voice rang out through the hall. "Hold the doors!"

Klaus bent forward, pressing the door open button, waiting for Caroline to hop on. He smiled, seeing the stroller and the blonde that followed, rushing into the elevator.

He caught a glimpse of Hannah, wrapped up in a light pink blanket and fast asleep in her carrier. Caroline turned around, her loose curls flying around her shoulders as she ran inside.

Once the two were safely inside, Klaus removed his hand from the button and the doors slid closed and they began their descent. "Thanks," she breathed out, finally looking up to see who occupied the elevator. "Klaus!" Caroline exclaimed, smiling up at him.

"Caroline," he nodded, his own smile taking over his face. "How have you been?"

"Good, good," she replied, brushing hair out of her face. "We were just off to grab some coffee and then go to the park. Coffee for me and park for Hannah."

Klaus hummed his approval, "sounds like a wonderful day."

Caroline squinted up at him, chewing her bottom lip nervously. "Would you like to join us?" But quickly shook her head. "Never mind, you're probably busy, you have your own schedule or your working or your starting to hate us because we keep you up at night and don't let you work. I'm sure we're your least favourite people and don't want to hang out with us, which is totally fine."

He laughed, reaching out to squeeze her arm in reassurance. "Caroline, I would love to join you guys."

"Perfect." She was taken off guard by the touch, but slowly relaxed and leaned into him. Caroline turned to look up at him and smiled, "I'll buy."

"You don't have to, I should pay."

She held her hand up, stopping him from continuing. "I owe you, remember?"

Klaus bit his tongue and nodded, "Sounds lovely."

* * *

Caroline ordered a vanilla latte while Klaus ordered plain black coffee. She paid which Klaus fought hard against, feeling slightly bad that he was intruding on their time together but Caroline insisted rather strongly. He backed off, giving into her.

They each grabbed their drink, shuffling over to an empty table in the corner which gave them a bit of privacy. She sat across from him; Hannah slept in her stroller, placed between the two.

Caroline sipped carefully on her hot drink while Klaus studied the sleeping baby. She looked slightly different since the last time he saw her merely days ago.

"Is it me or did she get bigger?" he finally asked, his eyes remaining on the baby.

Caroline placed her steaming drink on the table and smiled. "She gone through a little growth spurt! And…She now has one tooth out with her second beginning to show."

Klaus shifted his gaze from the baby to Caroline's bright blue eyes which were dancing with excitement. "Her tooth came through?"

"Yeah! It just came in, one of the middle ones on the bottom, and the incoming one will be right next to it." She replied, her smile radiant.

"Wow," he breathed, looking back at the sleeping baby.

"Soon she'll be walking and talking," Caroline said, pride evident in her voice.

Klaus chuckled, "I'm sure that'll be a sight, especially if she's anything like you."

"Hey!" she exclaimed in mock hurt, hitting the hand lightly that rest on the table in front of her.

Klaus took a sip of his coffee. He felt more comfortable and confident in the presence of Caroline. "So how has she been doing with all the changes? Has she been fussier since her teeth have come in? I haven't really heard any crying."

"She's calmed down quite a bit. She's still a little fussy but I switched rooms with her so you can get some quiet," Caroline replied, "I didn't want to disturb you."

"That wasn't necessary," he said, meeting her eyes and saw the concern hiding underneath.

She shrugged, looking down to her open coffee mug filled with whip cream, "Of course it is! I haven't been the best neighbor with all the noise."

"Caroline," he said, his voice steady and insistent. She raised her head, meeting his eyes again. "You're a single mom with a new baby. I may not have been very understanding in the beginning but I understand now."

Caroline gave him a small smile, "thank you for understanding, you've been so nice to Hannah and I."

"What are neighbors for?" He smirked before turning his attention to the coffee in his hand and taking a drink.

They sipped their respective drinks slowly, light conversation filling up the silence that threatened to surround them. Klaus found himself at ease around Caroline, enjoying everything she had to say which mostly revolved around her daughter. She tended to ramble, often getting lost in the point she was trying to make.

"How's the apartment unpacking going?" Klaus questioned when Caroline began talking about a very frustrating client of hers, a woman who absolutely refusing to have any shade of red in her house.

Caroline huffed, "it would be going better but there's just so many boxes and I swear every time I go to try and unpack, Hannah starts putting up a fuss and becomes so clingy that I can't put her down. Thus, resulting in boxes left unpacked and my apartment a mess. But we're getting there, slowly but surely."

"That's great, Caroline," he replied, and added, "You know I'm always there to help if you need it."

It was out of his mouth, offering his help, before he knew it. He wasn't sure why, or what compelled him to speak up but there was something about the woman sitting across from him. It tugged at his heartstrings making him do things he normally wouldn't. He knew she wouldn't ask for help, was strong enough on her own, but he felt compelled to offer it anyway.

She nodded, her lip caught between her teeth. "I may just take you up on that offer one day. I have a few heavy things that need to be moved."

"Then I would love to help."

"Thank God, because if that couch stays where it is then I'm going to have a breakdown. It so does not flow with the rest of the room, throws off the Feng Shui. It needs to be moved a few feet to the left," she responded, half distracted and in thought.

"Whatever you think is best, you are the boss."

Caroline smiled triumphantly. "That's right I am. I do this for a living, after all."

"And how's the new business going?" Klaus inquired, finishing off his coffee that turned lukewarm through their long conversation.

"It's going well. New York is a little tougher than my small town in Virginia, but I think I'm handling it. Business is picking up and it would just be really nice to get at least one easy Upper East Side socialite. They're just so picky and they constantly change their minds," she complained, moaning slightly at the hardship. "But this is all I've ever wanted, so even through the fussy customers, I love it."

Klaus reached out, his hand placed softly over hers and gave a slight squeeze. "That's wonderful, Caroline. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," she murmured, her gaze dropping to their joined hands.

He caught her staring and quickly pulled back like his hand was on fire. Caroline blushed, moving her now vacant hand to her coffee mug and finished off her vanilla latte.

"I just have to go to the bathroom and then we can head to the park?" She asked, already standing up.

"Sounds like a plan," he replied. "I'll watch her."

Caroline nodded, walking to the opposite end of the coffee shop in search of the bathroom. Klaus turned his attention to the sleeping baby in the stroller beside him, amazed that she was still sleeping despite the noise of their surroundings.

He reached out, uninhibited, his finger ghosting over her cheek as he brushed it slightly, feeling her soft skin. Hannah stirred slightly, slowly waking up at being touched. Klaus pulled his hand away, not meaning to disturb her. The little girl was groggy, her eyes scanning the room as she looked around to figure out where Caroline was.

Klaus knew she was about to cry. Her mother was nowhere in sight and she was left alone with him, practically a stranger.

A woman swooped in, cleaning up the empty glasses. Her gaze shifted to his left, towards the stroller as she cooed. "She's adorable."

Klaus nodded, agreeing with the woman, his eyes glued to Hannah. The baby let out a small whine, shifting uncomfortably in her carrier, arms outstretched towards him. He assumed she wanted to be held as she attempted to move around and escape from the straps holding her in.

Klaus didn't waste any time, just reacted on instinct, and quickly undid her buckles and lifted the child up out of the stroller and into his arms. The waitress, who remained beside them watched in awe. "Your daughter is so cute."

He gaped at the woman, stuttering at her assumption, "Oh no, she's not-"

A loud giggle broke out from his arms, Hannah smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling. She reached up, her open palm patting his cheek. His heart melted even more, just like the waitress. "Adorable," the woman muttered once more before sweeping away to the next table.

He watched the little girl who was perched in his arms, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. She continued to smile up at him, babbling something nonsensical and in her own language. Klaus laughed, "I agree, she is a little batty to think you're my daughter."

Hannah giggled, her chin tucking into her chest. She looked up at him through her lashes. Her eyes bright and full of light and there he swore he saw Caroline in the little girl; it was truly breathtaking. The child didn't really look like her mother but in that moment, her laughter ringing in his ears, it was a clear giveaway as to whom she belonged to.

Caroline returned seconds later to a giggly Hannah and Klaus who chuckled alongside her in clear amusement. "Did someone wake up from their nap?" She asked Hannah, staring down at the little girl in Klaus' arms.

"She just woke up and wanted to be held," Klaus answered, beginning to stand up with Hannah still in his arms. He was comfortable holding her, nothing like the last time he was alone with the baby.

"How about we head to the park now?" Caroline reached out, tickling Hannah's exposed stomach. A loud squeal followed by laughter echoed from the child. "I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

When they reached the park, they picked a bench and sat down. Hannah began to get a little fussy and Caroline knew she was hungry and began to feed her quickly. Klaus sat beside her, watching as she fed the baby mashed carrots.

"That doesn't look appetizing," Klaus commented wrinkling his nose in disgust, while one after another spoonful was placed inside the infant's mouth, Hannah happily taking it in.

Caroline scooped another spoonful from the jar, "Wanna try?" She moved the spoon closer to his mouth slowly.

Klaus almost gagged when he got a got whiff of the food, "No thanks, love."

She just laughed, "Try it, you never know maybe you'll love it."

Caroline pushed the spoon closer to his lips but Klaus turned his head, grasping her wrist lightly and pushing it away. The two began laughing, fighting against each other and momentarily forgetting where they were.

"Mamamamama," a little voice giggled, hands clapping together in excitement. The two adults paused, hands in the air and heads turned to look at the little girl perched in her carrier grinning up at them.

Caroline let go immediately and leaned forward towards her daughter. "What did you say, baby girl? Can you say it again? Mama."

"Mamamamama," Hannah repeated, babbling just as same as the first.

Caroline grinned, turning towards Klaus, "her first word!" She leaned forward, raining kisses all over the little girl's face. She turned towards Klaus, "did you hear that?"

"I did," Klaus grinned, "but I don't think it was exactly a word."

Caroline frowned slightly, and gave his hand a light tap, "that was too a word!" She turned back towards her daughter, bringing her closer to them. "Baby, can you say Mama?"

Hannah tilted her head, brow slightly crinkled looking just like her mother before smiling and laughed. "Mamamama!"

Caroline puffed her chest out, "Yep, that's a word!"

"Yeah…It's a word," Klaus said, with a slight bow of his head unable to cause her any disappointment.

Caroline agreed, chuckling as she tickled Hannah's belly. She sat back, putting the jar of mashed carrots back into its bag and tucked it in the compartment of the stroller. "How about we go on the slide. What do you think Ms. Hannah?"

The child clapped her hands, bouncing slightly in her seat. She was grinning wide, enough that Klaus caught a glimpse of her front tooth. She was growing so fast that it was hard to believe he met the two of them only a month ago.

Caroline picked the baby up and began to move towards the smaller play gym for the little kids, when she stopped and looked at Klaus. "You coming?"

Klaus nodded and was up out of his seat so fast he almost tripped over his feet. The warm feeling in his stomach he got from the two was addicting; he wanted and needed to be around them.

The little girl and her mother were quickly becoming ingrained in his life and he wasn't going to deny that he wasn't happy about it. There was a certain light about the two, both radiating strength love. It was something he began to adore.

"Yeah, I'm coming," he replied, getting off the park bench to have some fun in a way he never expected.

* * *

**A/N: So what'd you guys think? Did you like this drabble? What else do you wanna see?**


	4. Part Four

**A/N: I'm back and I'm very sorry for my absence. School is very hectic this year but I'm trying to keep up with everything. Thanks for all the support, reviews, favourites, follows, I love hearing all your thoughts. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter I worked hard. Thanks to Jay for betaing and being amazing as always and this one's dedicated to you. **

* * *

**Part Four**

Klaus couldn't contain the rumble of laughter that escaped past his lips.

The moment he stepped through the front doors of his apartment building, he caught sight of Caroline standing in front of the mailboxes mounted on the wall. Her back was towards him, curses muttered under her breath as she struggled to open her mailbox. The key rattling in its lock while she continued to jiggle it in its place.

She didn't seem to notice his presence, continuing to try and get the damn thing open; her palm hit the wall in front of her out of frustration. "Why won't you open?" She whined, her head falling forward against the wall.

Klaus felt sorry for her, having been in her shoes once upon a time. "If you just give it two taps with your fist it should open," he said, speaking up from behind her.

Caroline jumped, spinning around with a flush to her cheeks, embarrassed that he witnessed the struggle she endured. "It worked just fine last week."

"They're temperamental things," he explained, walking forward and towards the mail boxes that lined on the wall. Klaus closed his fist, banging on her mailbox with the side of his hand twice and pulled the metal door open easily. "It took a year for me to learn that trick."

Caroline laughed, her hand falling to his upper arm. "Well thank you for showing it to me, I've been struggling with it since I moved in."

He gave her a smile, backing up and watching as her hand fell from his arm. "It shouldn't give you any more trouble."

She sighed in relief, grabbing her mail out of the slot. Klaus watched from a slight distance, moving to the elevator a few feet away, and waiting for the doors to open. "Where's your sidekick?" He asked once Caroline joined him.

"With the Nanny upstairs, I got a frantic phone call from a client about an emergency. I've been across town all day," Caroline answered, stepping forward to press the button for their floor.

"What was the emergency?"

"The colour of beige we chose may be the wrong shade," she laughed, shaking her head.

Klaus chuckled along with her. "The wrong beige?"

"Too light, not brown enough and a little too yellow," she explained, amusement clear in her voice.

"Sounds like you have a tough job."

Caroline nodded, looking up at him seriously. "Sometimes it is! It's hard getting clients to commit with one idea and twenty minutes later they've changed their mind again. My job is to find the perfect match that they cannot reject."

Klaus noted the intensity and excitement of her voice, her eyes sparkling. He understood her passion, felt it with his own work.

She shrugs her shoulders, the smile still on her lips. "Even with the difficult clients, I love it."

"As you should," Klaus smiled, a tilt of his head in acknowledgement.

The elevator came to a stop, the doors sliding open. Both stepped through them, headed in the same direction. His curiosity peaked as to what she has done with her own home, especially being so busy.

"And how is the designing of your apartment coming along?" He questioned, coming to a stop outside her door.

"Good" she replied hesitantly. Klaus raised his brows in question, noticing her downward cast gaze. "Horrible actually," Caroline admitted with a shake of her head.

She tilted her head, twisting her hands together before looking up at him shyly. "Actually, I was wondering if you are not busy tonight, maybe you can help me with unpacking and moving around some furniture? I totally understand if you are busy or just don't want to. I can pay you with pizza and beer in exchange for your services."

Klaus smiled, his hand reaching out to her hand to give it a squeeze to calm her rambling. "Pizza and beer? How can I turn down an offer like that?" He smirked, eyes glistening with amusement.

"Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms quickly around his neck and giving him a hug. She pulled back, her smile radiant, "come over around six?"

"Six it is," he agreed, surprised by her open display of affection and deep down pleased by it. He watched her enter her apartment, giving him a quick smile and a wave before she escaped from view.

* * *

Klaus stood at the door beside his own. It was quarter past six and he knew he was late but he hoped Caroline would forgive him; he'd just gotten caught up in a painting. He was just about to knock on Caroline's door when it flew open, revealing a startled blonde.

"Oh, sorry! I was just coming to get you, I thought you might have forgotten," she said, slightly embarrassed as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"My apologies, love, I just got caught up with work," he replied, offering an apologetic smile.

Caroline stepped aside to let Klaus in. "Come on in, Hannah just fell asleep so we'll have some peace and quiet for a few hours."

He stepped through the doorway, Caroline following him inside the apartment. It looked exactly the same as it did the last time he was inside just a few weeks ago. There were still boxes everywhere, some still taped up tight and others opened with things overflowing out of them.

"I haven't had much time to unpack since the last time you came over. Things with work sort of picked up and I got busy and then Hannah takes up so much of my free time," she rambled nervously, eyes cutting around to the mess of her apartment. "I mean it's been months since we've moved in but you couldn't tell."

Klaus moved over to the pile of boxes in the far corner and shot her a smirk, "well let's get started before the little one wakes up."

"I think you're right," Caroline grinned before following his lead and began unpacking another box. They both settled onto the ground beside each other, boxes in front of them, and music softly playing in the background.

It's quiet for a few moments as they worked together, pulling items out and unwrapping them before setting them on the ground, before Caroline spoke. "I'm not sure you've ever mentioned before about what you do for a living."

Klaus looked up at her, caught off guard, and furrowed his brows and hummed in acknowledgment. "I suppose I haven't."

Caroline chuckled, "I mean, I've seen the inside of your apartment and know you like to paint, you're really good at it."

"Thank you, I am an artist," he replied, pulling a packaged picture frame from the box and unwrapped it.

"Tell me about it, how'd you get interested in art and painting?" Caroline questioned.

Klaus paused on the picture he just pulled out, one of Caroline and her mother, and studied it. He smiled up at her, "my mother was an amazing artist."

"'Was?"

"She passed away a few years ago," he answered, placing the picture frame down and moving onto the next one.

Caroline reached out, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. He brought his gaze up to meet hers. "I'm sorry, we don't have to talk about it."

Klaus shook his head, "It was our connection that only we had. I have three other siblings and sometimes being the middle child caused me to get pushed to the side; Painting was the one thing that just the two of us shared. Our passion for all forms of art. My older brother wanted me to help him with the family business, but my mother who nudged me to sell my paintings."

"She sounds wonderful," Caroline commented, sending him a small smile.

"In some ways you remind me of her, strong independent, single mother. My mother raised four children and ran the family business and not once did I hear her complain," he laughed and shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder how she kept her sanity, especially with all of us running around wreaking havoc around the house."

She laughed, "I could only imagine how hard that would be; I bet you were the trouble maker. That smirk and those eyes probably got you in and out of a lot of trouble."

"Actually, that would be my youngest brother. I believe one time he locked my sister in the shed outside. My mother was furious and that wasn't even the worst thing he's done," he recalled.

"I don't know much about siblings being an only child but I can tell you, right now, one is all I can handle as a single mom," Caroline stated.

They continued working and once a few boxes were emptied, Caroline directed where the pictures from his boxes went and he hung them on the wall. Her box, which was filled with books were placed in order of genre on the bookshelf beside the window.

They had both settled down again and were about to unpack the next set of boxes when they heard a small cry through the baby monitor nearby. The sound startled Klaus, who had all but forgotten about the infant, but Caroline jumped up from their spot on the floor. "I'll be right back."

Caroline returned moments later with a sleepy Hannah, curled into her neck and a warm blanket wrapped around her body. "She had a busy afternoon with the nanny, she passed right out before I came back," Caroline explained, moving into the kitchen and sitting the infant in her high chair. "Are you hungry, maybe we can order the pizza now?"

"Sure," Klaus agreed, standing up and joining them in the kitchen, sitting down beside Hannah. The little girl immediately lit up and reached out for Klaus. He smiled at her, reaching out and giving her tummy a tickle, "hello, Hannah."

"He-o!" She squeaked out between a set of giggles.

Klaus looked up surprised at Caroline. She just laughed at his expression, "She's added a few words to her vocabulary recently."

"You're a very smart, little girl, aren't you?" He asked, giving her tummy another tickle.

"Maybe a future president," Caroline added from her spot by the telephone.

"A leader of the free world?" Klaus mused, "Sounds fitting. Or maybe a lawyer, or a doctor? How does that sound?"

Hannah replied with unintelligible babbles. "She can be whatever her little heart desires. I'll have no objections," Caroline responded, hanging up the phone after placing their order. She returned to the table with food for Hannah and a beer for Klaus.

Caroline sat down across from Klaus but beside Hannah, setting the jar of baby food on the table and pushed the beer across to him. He opened it and took a drink, but eyes remained focused on the woman and child interacting beside him.

"What's on the menu today?" He questioned, eying the jar of brown substance.

"Beef and gravy," Caroline replied, scooping out a small spoonful.

"It looks disgusting," Klaus commented, almost gagging at the mushy food.

She raised her eyes brows in amusement, "Well Hannah seems to like it."

Klaus just chuckled, "That's because she doesn't know what she's missing out on." He turned his attention to the little girl beside him, and whispered, "Just wait until you get to try cheeseburgers and French fries. You'll truly know good cuisine."

Caroline laughed at his comment which set Hannah into her own fit of loud giggles, their laughter filling the room. Klaus couldn't deny how much he liked that sound, and would not mind hearing more of it.

"Well for now, Miss Hannah, will have to settle for baby food," Caroline said when she finally calmed down, feeding a small spoonful to her daughter.

"Poor thing," Klaus muttered, shaking his head as Caroline fed another mouthful to the infant. Caroline looked up at him, a big smile on her lips and eyes sparkling with amusement. He couldn't contain the smile that formed, happiness fluttering up through his chest.

* * *

Later, after they had their fill of pizza and Hannah was full, they relaxed on the newly positioned couch. Caroline helped Klaus move it so it was more towards the window, which meant that the television and stand needed to be moved as well. She claimed it was so they could look out into the city streets while reading, stating it was perfect view.

Klaus didn't complain. He was happy to help.

While they were rearranging furniture around, Hannah sat in her play pen with a few toys to keep her occupied. When they finished, they scooped up the little girl and set on the ground. It was a fresh spot sans boxes.

They had unpacked all the boxes in the living room, making the apartment look more settled and lived in. They were both satisfied with their work and decided to rest and revel in their accomplishment.

They lounged around on the couch with the last box at their feet. Klaus found old photo albums and begged Caroline to look through them. Caroline huffed, handing over the first of many slightly tattered albums to Klaus and settled down next to him.

Hannah was on the floor at their feet, happily playing with a few of her toys on a blanket, oblivious to the adults and her surroundings. She had been occupied throughout the night by the comings and goings of the adults, always keeping an eye on them as they moved around the apartment.

Klaus opened up to the first page, revealing a freshly born infant in a woman's arms with a man standing over them both, looking down at the two proudly. _"Caroline, the day she was born,"_ was written in cursive underneath the picture.

The pictures following were of Caroline the day of her birth, wrapped in the standard white blanket and pink hat, being passed around to different family members.

"Very cute," Klaus commented, when he came across a picture of Caroline yawning at just a few hours old, her eyes scrunched up and mouth wide.

Caroline laughed, shaking her head, "I look like a wrinkled rat."

He chuckled, "A very cute wrinkled rat."

She rolled her eyes and nudged his shoulder, urging him to turn the pages and keep going. Klaus obliged and the pictures of Caroline changed from just a few hours old to a few months old, her features changing drastically. "Not a wrinkled rat anymore," she stated proudly.

"Hannah looks a lot like you," Klaus noted, flipping the page to reveal Caroline at age one in her swimwear standing in a plastic kiddie pool. Her blonde hair was pulled at the sides in two pink tales and she smiled happily at the camera, her nose scrunched up and eyes closed.

The similarities were almost striking. They didn't share the same hair colour, Caroline's being slightly lighter, but they shared the same skin tone, nose, eye shape, puffy cheeks, and chin.

"What can I say, cuteness runs in the family."

Klaus smiled sincerely, "It certainly does."

She pulled the album from his hands, passing a few pages and flipping to the back of the book. "This is one of my favourite memories," she started, pausing on the page with a few pictures of what looks like a birthday party.

"I must have been seven at the time, and everything that could have went wrong did. The cake fell onto the ground and I ended up blowing out my candle on a muffin. It was boiling hot outside and the sprinklers weren't working but my dad went out and got water guns and we had a water gun fight all afternoon. And I think my mom burnt dinner and we resorted to ordering pizza."

Caroline laughed at the memory, hand ghosting over a picture of a younger version of herself blowing out the candle on top of a muffin. "I think that was the last birthday where it was the three of us before my dad ran off with his boyfriend."

"Caroline-" he began, his arm reaching behind her to wrap around her shoulders and pull her into his side.

She just shrugged, "It's no big deal. I got over not having my dad around a long time ago."

Klaus bowed his head, "My father passed away when I was young. We were both raised by single mothers and look how well we turned out."

That brought a smile out of her, the mood lightening significantly. "Well I turned out flawless, but I don't know about you," she joked.

"Hey," Klaus scowled, his arm coming down around her back as his other reached out and he began to tickle her sides. Laughter bubbled passed her lips, filling up the apartment. "Take that back."

"No," she managed to say through erratic breaths and giggles.

Klaus maneuvered Caroline until she was sprawled out on the couch. It gave him easy access to tickle her as he leaned over her. The noise they were making brought attention to the infant sitting on the floor. Hannah crawled over to the couch and pulled herself up to be standing by the heads of the adults.

"Mama!" The girl squeaked, fist clenched on the fabric of the couch, watching the two adults curiously.

Klaus smiled, pulling back before grabbing Hannah under her arms and lifting her up onto Caroline's tummy. "Hannah, get your mama, tickle her!"

With the help of Klaus, Hannah tickled her mother, Caroline squirming and laughing underneath the two. "Okay, okay, uncle," she breathed out.

"You take it back?" Klaus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I take it back," she agreed, nodding eagerly.

He tickled her one more time. "Tell me how awesome I am."

"Your amazing," Caroline said, her voice soft and serious as she locked eyes with him.

Klaus smiled, his breath catching in his throat at the honestly that came from her words, and pulled back. "Thank you, I only asked for the truth."

Caroline circled her arms around her daughter, hugging her to her body. Her eye caught sight of the clock that hung on the wall a few feet away and she shot up. "It's so late, I think it's past someone's bedtime!"

Klaus followed her gaze, realizing that it was half past nine. "I agree, I should have been in bed an hour ago," he smirked.

Caroline shook her head, unable to prevent her smile. Klaus closed the album that fell to the ground and placed in back inside the box with the others. "We'll finish looking at the others another time."

"Don't count on it," she quipped, standing up from the couch with Hannah in her arms. Klaus followed her lead, both moving over to the door. "Thank you so much for your help."

"It wasn't a problem. I had fun tonight," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze and a reassuring smile. "If you ever need any help don't hesitate to give me a call."

Caroline nodded, "Okay." She leaned forward, and slowly pressed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you."

Klaus smiled, giving her hand a squeeze before turning his attention to the child in her arms. "I'll see you later, Miss Hannah."

The little girl reached out to him with one arm. He gave her his finger, his thumb swiping over the back of her tiny hand. He pulled away, eyes lingering on Caroline.

"Thank you for dinner and I'll be seeing you later, Miss Caroline," he said softly, giving her a sincere smile.

The light chuckle and the way she lowered her lashes replayed on a loop in his head while he walked back to his apartment. His steps lighter than they were earlier, his heart a little softer, and a smile permanently residing on his lips.

* * *

**A/N: So what'd you think? Cute enough? Happy enough? What's going to come next?**


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